Raj Sood

Sood came extremely highly recommended to me by several plastic surgeons and other healthcare professionals. Indeed, he is among an elite group being 1 of 35 or so chiefs of plastic surgery in the nation. Sood specializes in successfully treating the scars of burn victims. In fact when I met him it was in the burn center of Eskanazie hospital. Although I was not a burn victim, I had a contracted scar and degraded tissue that was not vascualarized and just bands of collagen -- this was a serious complication from a brachioplasty. The contracted scar was very similar to that of a burn victim. That is why so many clinicians sent me to him. In fact, my physical therapist told me that she had never seen a contracted scar as bad as mine and she had worked with burn patients.

After coming through months of depression and anxiety over the complication, I felt very hopeful when Sood told me he was 1 of only 3 plastic surgeons using IPL laser to treat scars, and that he had treated burn victims with scars much larger than mine. He said I would have a very good outcome. He seemed to really know his stuff and he seemed very nice; I did not understand why patients on Vitals.com wrote that he lacked compassion.

Sood said the surgery would probably be covered by my insurance as it was corrective not cosmetic because I had lost the full range of motion in my arm owing to the contracted scar. He also was going to do a series of z-plasties and use Alloderm tissue matrix to promote healthy cell growth rather than do a skin graft, which was a huge relief to me.

I awaited insurance approval and a surgery date. One day his nurse called me and I was excited to hear good news. Instead of a surgery date, she told me that Sood had declined to do my surgery. I pleaded with her to have him reconsider. But I never received a callback.

It is true, he lacks compassion just like the other reviews have stated. I don't understand how a plastic surgeon (or any HCP) could refuse to help a patient. How can these people live with themselves? Where is the humanity?

My insurance only covers Sood's hospital so I am out of options, at least for now. My arm remains injured and it may become a permanent injury without timely and proper treatment.